Finding the Best Gay-Themed Films, #1: Beautiful Thing

Until recently, it was still very difficult to find a gay-themed film worth seeing. Most of the time, you could almost bet that the plots and character portrayals would be riddled with stereotypical clichés and images. Thankfully, this is a condition that has slowly begun to change over the last few years.

While filmmakers haven't always hit a bulls-eye when it comes to portraying gay life accurately, their aim has improved; at least we are making steps in the right direction. More and more quality films with gay themes seem to be coming along every day. Gay characters are even becoming more accepted in mainstream films and television as well. In some cases, they are even being portrayed with fewer stereotypical trappings, which as I said earlier, is a step forward...a very small step, maybe, but a step nonetheless!

There are several great examples that I could have chosen for this article, but every time this subject comes up, my mind immediately flashes back to one particular movie that is, to me, a true classic. I'm referring to a British film, called "Beautiful Thing." This film is one of my all-time favorites, and is usually the first to pop out of my mouth whenever someone asks me to recommend a good "gay" film.

Released in 1996, this is a wonderful coming-of-age story, which centers around a developing romance between two teenage boys. The two main characters, Jamie and Ste (played by Glenn Berry and Scott Neal respectively), are high school classmates, who also happen to occupy neighboring flats in a run-down London housing project. Jamie lives with his single mother, who works as a barmaid to support the two of them, and dreams of one day owning her own pub. Ste, meanwhile, resides in the flat next door with his drunken father, and his drug-dealing older brother, both of whom are verbally and physically abusive toward him.

The seeds of their romance are planted, when after one too many beatings at home, Ste decides that he has had enough of his dad's abuse. He leaves vowing not to go back. When Jamie's mother, Sandra, sees him on her way home, she offers to take him in for the night. Since there is little room in the Gangel's cramped apartment, Ste is forced to share Jamie's bed, and although this first sleepover is completely innocent, the two begin spending a lot of time together as the bond between them grows.

Eventually, their feelings for one another slowly begin to surface, leading them on a journey of self-discovery that is frightening at times, but also exciting and beautiful! It is a wonderful thing for the viewer to watch as well, because through the telling of this story, we are reminded of the old adage about not judging a book by its cover. Sometimes in the pursuit of love, we can get so wrapped up in looking for that perfect someone who will fulfill our every wish, that we become too blinded by that picture to see that they've been right under our noses the whole time! After all, love doesn't always come with a lot of fanfare and hoopla; sometimes it just approaches quietly and strolls along beside you!